LONDON,— The ruler of Dubai is in a planning dispute over a new luxury mansion on his Scottish estate, with the Daily Mail citing a report originally from The Telegraph.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, 76, is constructing a 15-bedroom house on his 63,000-acre Inverinate estate in Wester Ross. He altered the original design during construction, adding several features that were not included in the approved plans.

The modifications include a utility room extension, a chimney breast, a fireplace, a redesigned front entrance with a sandstone arch, resized windows, and additional roof lights.

Planning officials say these changes go beyond the original permission. The Sheikh is seeking retrospective approval for the additions, but if denied, the council could order him to remove the unauthorized sections.

The estate is located in a protected conservation area along the banks of Loch Duich. The area is home to deer, Eurasian otters, pipistrelle bats, and western European hedgehogs, so planning rules are strict.

Local residents have voiced frustration over the construction. One resident told The Telegraph, “It beggars belief that the Sheikh and his family weren’t aware of the planning permission procedure.

Of course, he is always welcome and has supported the local community, but they should know our laws about building, especially with all the construction in recent years.”

The estate includes three helipads and a swimming pool. Sheikh Mohammed visits once or twice a year.

He has owned Inverinate for more than 20 years and is a major figure in the UK horse racing industry and one of the country’s largest landowners.

His holdings exceed 100,000 acres, more than King Charles’ private estates of about 70,000 acres.

Documents seen by The Telegraph indicate that the Sheikh’s representatives at Inverinate claimed they were “unaware planning permission was required for the amended works.”

The new mansion is the ninth building on the estate. Other recent additions include a cottage, two lodges, and helipads. Much of the development is intended to accommodate family, guests, and staff.

A statement filed with Highland Council explained that the Inverinate estate often hosts large groups of family and friends.

The document said recent visits had been limited due to insufficient accommodation. It noted that extra housing for staff was completed in 2022 to better support larger gatherings.

The council was told that the new changes would not change the overall size, use, or design of the previously approved project.

Neighbor Roddy Macleod said, “Nobody realizes just how massive this building will be. He just seems determined to keep going with this. It has been a real strain on the community.”

Sheikh Mohammed has previously bypassed planning rules. Last year, he installed solar panels on the estate without permission, which the council later approved.

In 2020, a six-bedroom lodge proposal was initially blocked by the council after more than 30 objections, but the Scottish Government overruled the decision, allowing the lodge to be built despite local opposition.

To ease tensions, his property company, Smech Management, contributed £30,000 toward local affordable housing.

The Sheikh also owns Godolphin Stables, a horse racing complex in Newmarket, Suffolk. He attempted to build two tarmac helipads at Warren Place, a stables site he bought in 2015, but Anglian Water blocked the plan over fears that aviation fuel could contaminate water sources. The stables feature a swimming pool and an equine spa for horses.

His main UK residence is Longcross, a £75 million country estate in Surrey. His daughter, Princess Shamsa, attempted to escape the compound there in 2000 at age 19 but was captured and returned to Dubai.

Sheikh Mohammed also owns estates in Essex, Suffolk, and London, including a £13 million Surrey mansion purchased in 2020, a house in Belgravia Square bought in 2013, and a six-story terrace in Knightsbridge acquired for £61.5 million. His UK properties serve his six wives and 30 children.

Sheikh Mohammed became Dubai’s ruler in January 2006. He is the third of four sons of Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed, who ruled Dubai for 32 years.

His fortune is estimated at £11 billion. He studied in Cambridge as a teenager and later trained at the British Army’s Aldershot officer school. Sheikh Mohammed was a supporter of his father’s efforts to transform Dubai into a global financial hub.

(With files from The Telegraph telegraph.co.uk, The Daily Mail UK dailymail.co.uk)

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